If you’ve been getting tired of the seemingly endless array of superhero television shows and movies that feature older men as the superheroes saving the day, you’ll love the new reboot of Stargirl. Starring a young, high-school-aged girl named Courtney Whitmore, the Stargirl web series is a refreshing version of the typical superhero trope.
Stargirl is a coming of age meets superhero story writ large for modern viewers by executive producer Geoff Johns. Rather than feature a man facing adversity, solving crimes or exacting revenge, it stars a young girl who’s facing the usual angst that comes with gaining a stepfather, stepbrother and leaving urban life behind for the confines of a small rural town. After realizes that her high school experience will not be a pleasant one, she stumbles upon her dead superhero father’s super Cosmic Staff. The Cosmic Staff recognizes her superior capabilities and allows her to utilize its superhero powers to fight villains and injustice as Stargirl.
Overcoming Obstacles
Courtney doesn’t let her personal life get in the way of her superhero destiny. Most teenage girls would focus on the sudden addition of a stepfather and stepbrother or being uprooted from their familiar, comfortable life in Los Angeles to move to rural Nebraska. Instead, she uses her newfound powers to bond with her stepfather and in the process discovers that he was the sidekick to her father’s Starman superhero identity. This improved relationship proves beneficial when her stepfather helps her to train as a superhero and creates a robot, S.T.R.I.P.E., to protect and fight alongside her.
Harnessing the Power of the Outsider
Courtney Whitmore is a transplant from a big city, unable to fit in at her new high school and dealing with a whole new family dynamic. As if that wasn’t enough, the Cosmic Staff seems to have selected her out of an infinite number of candidates and she’s now having to walk in Starman’s very big shoes. Rather than be cowed by these challenging circumstances, Stargirl steps up to her new role and embraces it. She starts working with her stepfather to learn about being a superhero and becomes friends with several other outsiders at her high school whom she recruits to join her in the Justice League of America to fight supervillains.
Young Upstarts vs. Old Establishment
Stargirl and her superhero friends are tasked with fighting villains who have joined together to create the Injustice League of America. The leaders of the Injustice League are respected and established businessmen in the local community with plenty of power and resources at hand. While Courtney and her friends are young and inexperienced superheroes, they are still willing to fight. Rather than be daunted by the obstacles placed in front of them, they harness their inner strength to conquer their challenges. Stargirl is a great story that serves as a great example to young women to persevere and utilize available resources to conquer obstacles placed in their way. The web series is a refreshing perspective on the tired old story of an aging male lead saving the world and is worth your time.